February 02, 2015 | Don Duncan

ASA Executive Director Steph Sherer will be touring California between February 8th and 15th to talk to patients and other stakeholders about the local and state work that needs to get done on medical cannabis between now and November of 2016, when voters are likely to decide on an adult use ballot measure. A lot is up in the air between now and then.

Will regulations for commercial medical cannabis be good, bad, or both? Will the state legislature finally protect legal patients from discrimination? Will cities and counties ban distribution and cultivation, or keep moving forward with regulations allowing local access?

The answer to each question is that it is up to us. Steph’s talk is entitled “Our Health Is In Our Hands,” because responsibility for making sure that patients’ needs are met and rights are respected lies with us – the grassroots medical cannabis community. If we don’t take our message and vision to City Councils, Boards of Supervisors, and state lawmakers; no one else will. Don’t miss a chance to be a part of this important conversation about your community and state. Check the Events section for a list of talks statewide.

ASA California Weekly Roundup: February 2, 2015

Contents:

News

Will a divided marijuana community jeopardize California's legalization effort? (California)

State seeks water rules for pot growers (California)

Debunked — the California residency requirement for medical marijuana is a myth (California)

February 2, 2015 - Marijuana Compassion and Common Sense (Online) 6:00 PM at www.blogtalkradio.com/marijuananews Tune in for this weekly live Internet broadcast about cannabis and medical cannabis issues. You can call in to participate. ASA Executive Director Steph Sherer will be the special guest.

---February 8, 2015 – Our Health Is On Our Hands with Steph Sherer (Riverside, CA)7:30 PM at THCF Medical Clinic, 647 Main St. Unit 4D, Riverside 92501. Join ASA Executive Director for a conversation about medical cannabis in California at the local and state level between now and 2016.

---February 10, 2015 – Our Health Is On Our Hands with Steph Sherer (San Diego, CA)4:30 PM at Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant, 9353 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego CA, 92123. Join ASA Executive Director for a conversation about medical cannabis in California at the local and state level between now and 2016.

---February 11, 2015 – Our Health Is On Our Hands with Steph Sherer (Los Angeles, CA)Time and address TBA. Join ASA Executive Director for a conversation about medical cannabis in California at the local and state level between now and 2016.

---February 12, 2015 – Our Health Is On Our Hands with Steph Sherer (San Francisco, CA)Time and address TBA. Join ASA Executive Director for a conversation about medical cannabis in California at the local and state level between now and 2016.

---February 13, 2015 – Our Health Is On Our Hands with Steph Sherer (Sacramento, CA)6:00 PM in the Back Room at Perko’s, 925 3rd Street, Sacramento, CA 94814. Join ASA Executive Director for a conversation about medical cannabis in California at the local and state level between now and 2016. Dinner menu available at your own expense.

---February 15, 2015 – Our Health Is On Our Hands with Steph Sherer (Santa Rosa)4:00 – 6:00 PM at the Arlene Francis Center at 99 West 6th Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95401. Join ASA Executive Director for a conversation about medical cannabis in California at the local and state level between now and 2016. Complimentary tea and refreshments served.

---March 27-31, 2015 – ASA’s National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference 2015 (Washington, DC)Join us March 27th – 31stfor the biggest and most important medical cannabis conference yet. Early bird and ASA member discounts are now available. Save money on registration, travel, and lodging by registering now. For more information: http://www.nationalmedicalcannabisunityconference.org

Medical cannabis patients still face pervasive discrimination when it comes to employment, housing, parental right, and equal access to healthcare. ASA is collecting data about discrimination against legal medical cannabis patients, primary caregivers, and providers to help educate lawmakers and regulators. The 26-question patient survey is up now. Please take a few minutes to answer the mostly yes or no questions.

A patient in California can be denied a life-saving organ transplant solely based on the fact that he or she uses medical cannabis! Legal patients have died after being removed from the organ transplant list, and others are in jeopardy right now. Americans for Safe Access, the nation's leading medical cannabis patients' advocacy organization, proposes legislation to prevent anyone from being denied a transplant because of medical cannabis. Sign this petition to let lawmakers know you support the Medical Marijuana Organ Transplant Act to provide equal access to health care for legal patients.

ASA-CCSA is a membership-based email discussion list about local and state medical cannabis legislation, initiatives, referendums, and related litigation in the state of California. Unlike this weekly email, you can respond to messages on ASA-CCSA and share your response with everyone. The purpose of the list is to facilitate dialog and participation by movement and industry stakeholders. Respectful and courteous participation, conversations, and debate are welcome.

The mission of Americans for Safe Access is to ensure safe and legal access to cannabis (marijuana) for therapeutic uses and research. ASA's stand on federal interference with medical cannabis state laws is one of zero-tolerance. ASA organizers engage in traditional, battle-tested tactics such as legislative organizing, community outreach, phone-in days, petition drives, etc., and supports the use of non-violent direct action as means of escalating tactics to reach campaign goals. Want to get involved? Check out this section of our website.

The “California Weekly Roundup” is a once-a-week email for ASA Members and Friends that focuses on relevant news and important updates, action alerts, meetings and special events. Send items for the California Weekly Roundup to CARoundup@SafeAccessNow.org before 12:00 PM on Friday to be included in Monday's distribution.